City Council votes to close portion of Hargrave Street

The Lexington City Council passed a resolution on Monday to permanently close a portion of Hargrave Street to allow the expansion of the J. Smith Young YMCA.

BY SHARON MYERSThe Dispatch

The Lexington City Council passed a resolution on Monday to permanently close a portion of Hargrave Street to allow the expansion of the J. Smith Young YMCA.The YMCA requested closing half of the width of Hargrave Street between West Third and West Fourth avenues to accommodate the addition of rest rooms and to include additional spectator space at the swimming pool area. The remaining portion of the street would become a one-way street going from Third Avenue toward Fourth Avenue.Gene Klump, chief executive officer of the YMCA, said that is well beyond the time to address the needs of the YMCA due to the numerous civic groups that use the dining hall and to provide parents the opportunity to observe their children during swim meets."It is unconscionable not to have bathrooms on the same level as the patrons using the dining hall," Klump said. "There are many people who have mobility issues that would make going downstairs difficult."One person spoke in dissent of the expansion during the public hearing prior to the vote. David Apple said he believes that it is not a good use of taxpayers money and that the YMCA should spend the money upgrading the pool itself."They should make it a competitive pool," Apple said. "It is not beneficial to these high school students to practice in a second rate pool that is too shallow and too hot."Lexington City Manager Alan Carson responded at the request of Mayor Newell Clark that the expense to the city would be minimal and would not require moving sewage or water lines. The Rev. Ray Howell, senior minister at First Baptist Church, which is across the street from the YMCA, spoke in support of the project."My main objective is safety," he said. "We have a number of our young children who are going back and forth to the YMCA. I believe making that a one way road will increase the safety in that area." He also mentioned that the YMCA is a great supporter of his church and have partnered with them in the past to promote faith-based health issues. During his manager's report, Carson updated the status of a request from Gayle Whitehead, executive director of Crisis Ministry of Davidson County, for $30,000 to address their bedbug issue. Carson did not recommend making the one-time grant, but recommended that the city give Crisis Ministry its annual allocation of $12,750 in total on July 1 instead of in two yearly installments.Carson also did not recommend Whitehead's request that the city donate the former water resources building at 201 E. First Avenue to Crisis Ministry. "We are in the middle of a development project in the Depot District and we will be using all of the property owned by the city," he said.During the vote to renew the city street repair and resurfacing contract, Clark took the opportunity to address the public outrage over what some people have called a botched paving job on Main Street. The city repair and resurfacing contract is not related to the North Carolina Department of Transportation's paving of Main Street, and is not being awarded to the same company."The DOT has admitted that they dropped the ball as far as communications were concerned," Clark said. "The choice of using the slurry method was a budget decision they made. That slurry technique is about $3 per square foot, when we start talking about grinding up the street and putting down new asphalt it is three times as much."He continued that many merchants have expressed disappointment in the paving, especially after all the efforts the city has made concerning the beautification of Uptown. He said the city is in talks with DOT about some beautification techniques they can do, but that there will be no correction to the current paving project."I am just as upset as anyone by the job that was done," Clark said. "They assured me that the lines of communication have been changed and we will have better understanding and input to what is happening in the future."After another public hearing, the council voted to close out the $300,000 Economic Development Community Development Block Grant project for the natural gas pipeline extension to Lowe's Companies' millwork facilities. Other items discussed were:• Appointment to the 2013-14 Lexington City Government Youth Council• Increased the Lexington Housing Authority board from five to seven members• Renewed the Lexington Police Department contract for part-time security with the Lexington Housing Authority• Appointed Tom Smith to the Davidson County Economic Development CommissionSharon Myers can be reached at 249-3981, ext, 228 or at sharon.myers@the-dispatch.com.

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